Insulating Boot Cover

ABSTRACT

An insulating footwear cover is provided for fitting over an article of footwear to shield same from outdoor elements. The cover includes an upper, and a wear-resistant sole portion extending beneath the bottom of the boot or shoe. The sole portion additionally overlaps a portion of the sides of the upper providing a wear-resistant patch over areas of the cover that are most susceptible to wear.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to insulating covers. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to a wear-resistantinsulating cover for a boot.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various forms of insulating apparel are commonly worn by individuals incold weather to extend enjoyment of outdoor activities such as skiing,snowshoeing, ice fishing, and tobogganing. This apparel typicallyincludes innerwear such as moisture wicking socks, shirts, and pants, aswell as outerwear such as parkas, gloves, snow pants, and the like. Inaddition, many products are available to provide supplementary heatand/or insulation to the extremities. Particularly with respect towinter footwear, insulating covers have been developed for ski boots,skates, and snowshoes.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,220 provides a thermal ski boot covermade of elastomeric fabric, which covers primarily the toe portion ofthe boot, with the fabric ends of wrapped around the back of the footand secured using releasable attaching means such as hook and loopfasteners. A bottom strip is present, which is sewn to each side of theboot cover and extends under the ski boot to hold the cover in place.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,687 describes a ski boot muff for use in coldweather. The muff covers the entire ski boot except the toe and heelbindings, and preferably closes with a side zipper. The sole portion issewn to the cover and extends under the foot.

Existing boot covers typically provide a bottom surface which is seamedto the sides of the cover near the base of the foot. As such, theseseams are prone to wear due to abrasion of the seam against the ski, oragainst the ground or floor when the boot cover is worn without the ski.Further, the sole portion or bottom strap of existing boot covers istypically made of an elasticized fabric to accommodate a range of bootsizes. This elasticized bottom portion is therefore often stretched toaccommodate the boot and is therefore further prone to wear uponrepeated use.

It is, therefore, desirable to provide a durable boot cover forinsulating a foot within a boot.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at leastone disadvantage of previous boot covers.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides an insulating coverfor fitting over a boot, the cover comprising: an insulating upper forplacement over a portion of a boot upper; closure means for closing andopening a portion of the insulating upper to facilitate placement andremoval of the insulating upper over the boot; and a wear-resistant soleportion operatively attached to first and second sides of the insulatingupper, the sole portion of sufficient size to span the bottom width ofthe boot when the cover is fitted thereto; the sole portion furtherextending upwardly to substantially overlap the insulating upper on saidfirst and second sides, providing a wear-resistant surface to the sidesof the upper.

The insulating cover may be formed from side panels joinable over theboot by said closure means.

In one embodiment, the insulating upper and sole portion define at leastone opening to accommodate a ski boot binding.

In another embodiment, the insulating upper further comprises a sizingstrip of elastomeric material, the sizing strip attached between eachside panel to facilitate use fitting of the insulating cover over avariety of boot sizes. The sizing strip may be composed, for example, ofDura Stretch® or Power Shield® fabrics. The sizing strip may be at anysuitable location about the upper. In one embodiment, the sizing stripis at the rear of the upper. In another embodiment, the sizing strip isat the front of the upper, and the closure means may be provided withinthe sizing strip.

In a particular embodiment, the insulating upper, sole portion, andsizing strip define at least one opening to accommodate a ski bootbinding.

The insulating upper may be formed from wear-resistant material,water-resistant material, or may be covered with a wear-resistant and/orwater resistant coating. In suitable embodiments, the upper is formedfrom elastomeric fabric. Accordingly, the insulating upper may be formedfrom any suitable material to shield the boot from outside elements,providing an insulating effect. Suitable materials for use in formingthe upper include Neoprene, Cordura®, Gortex®, and nylon.

In a further embodiment, the closure means is a zipper, which may be atwo-way zipper. The closure may extend along the entire length, width,or circumference of the upper, or may be provided only in portions ofthe upper.

In another embodiment, the wear-resistant sole includes a wear-resistantsurface such as Cordura® or Tufftek®.

Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparentto those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the followingdescription of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction withthe accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the attached Figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a boot cover fitted over a skiboot;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of a boot cover in accordance with anembodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the side panels and sole portion of theboot cover shown in FIG. 2 with the closure unfastened and prior toattachment of a sizing strip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Generally, the present invention provides a boot cover for providinginsulation to a boot, shoe, skate, or other article of outdoor footwear.The boot cover is particularly suitable for use in covering a ski boot,and may be worn over the ski boot at all times.

Overview

With reference to FIG. 1, a boot cover 10 is shown fitted over a skiboot 90. The boot cover 10 includes an upper 11 formed from inner andouter side panels 12, 13, and a sole portion 14 extending beneath theboot from the inner panel to the outer panel to provide a base for theboot cover. The sole portion 14 additionally overlaps the inner andouter side panels to some degree to form inner and outer patches 15, 16over the side panels 12, 13 at locations typically prone to abrasion andwear. Such overlap thereby avoids a linear seam along the base of theboot, instead providing an additional layer of fabric at this locationto resist wear.

The boot cover shown in FIG. 1 includes a sole portion 14 that spans thewidth of the boot bottom but need not span the entire length of theboot. In the example shown, the sole portion 14, together with the innerand outer side panels 12, 13 define a front opening 20 and a rearopening 21 to accommodate toe and heel lugs 91, 92 of the ski boot 90.When the cover is fitted over the boot, toe and heel lugs 91, 92 remainaccessible for engagement by corresponding ski bindings. Thus, the coverdoes not require removal or adjustment when the user desires to attachor remove the boot from the ski bindings, and the cover may remainfitted over the boot at all times the boot is worn.

The insulating cover upper 11 suitably includes one or more closures 30for assisting the user in fitting the cover over the boot. As the degreeof opening is determined by the needs of the user and the bulk of theboot to be covered, certain designs may include appropriately placedclosures about the ankle opening of the cover. Other designs, forexample the ski boot cover shown in the drawings, may include a fulllength closure from the ankle opening 17 to the toe opening 20. Foradded ease of use, the closure shown in FIG. 1 is a front two-way zipperclosure to provide the user with access to any or all of the ski bootadjustment straps as necessary, and to facilitate fitting of the coverover the bulk of the ski boot.

Upper

When fitted over the boot, the upper 11 of the boot cover provides addedinsulation to the foot inside the boot primarily by shielding the bootfrom wind and build-up of snow. The insulating cover is therefore madefrom one or more layers of fabric suitable for providing this insulatingeffect. In suitable embodiments, this fabric is water and wind resistantor a suitable coating is applied to the fabric to convey water and windresistance. The cover may include a further layer of material such asfoam, fleece, neoprene, or the like, however in most cases the windand/or water resistance alone will provide suitable insulatingproperties.

It is further desirable that the upper be durable to resist wear, whileproviding a smooth surface to avoid accumulation of snow on the upper.Materials particularly suitable for use in manufacture of the upperinclude Cordura®, Gortex®, and nylon.

It may be possible in some circumstances to pull the cover over a bootthrough the ankle opening 17, particularly if the upper is made fromelastomeric fabric such as neoprene. However, providing closures withinthe upper facilitates fitting of the boot within the cover as well asproviding access to the boot during wear as necessary. For example,while skiing, the user may partially open the upper to access a ski bootadjustment strap or boot laces.

In selecting an appropriate size and type of closure, one shouldconsider each of the following factors: the size, bulk, and flexibilityof the boot; the degree and frequency of access to the boot and footthat a user may require, the material of which the upper is constructed,and the flexibility and coordination of the typical user. For example, aski boot is relatively bulky and inflexible, the user may requireperiodic access to the boot, and it is generally difficult for a skierto manually manipulate devices located at the rear of the boot as thismust be done “blind” due in part to the limited flexibility of the boot.Therefore, front two-way zipper closure is suitable for use in a bootcover designed for a ski boot.

Conversely, a boot cover designed for placement over a shoe during acurling match may not require a closure, as the upper need not be windresistant and could simply be made from an elastomeric fabric such asneoprene, which may be fitted by stretching the ankle opening of thecover over the shoe.

In another example, a cover for placement over a hiking shoe or boot mayinclude several small closures in order to tighten or loosen the fit ofthe cover over the shoe during use, to access various portions of theshoe during use, or to provide pockets within the cover to store smallitems.

With reference to FIG. 2, the upper includes inner and outer side panels12, 13, joined at the front of the boot at closure 30 and joined at theback by a sizing strip 40. The sizing strip 40 is flexible andelastomeric to allow the side panels 12, 13 to be separated to thedegree necessary for fitting the upper over the boot. As seen best inFIG. 3, the configuration of the side panels 12, 13, and of the soleportion may accommodate a range of boot sizes. Fitting to a boot ofnarrow width will require only a portion of the sole to span the bottomof the boot, causing the bottom edges of the side panels to beginfurther up the boot sides, Conversely, fitting to a boot having a widebottom will require more of the sole portion beneath the boot, with thebottom edges 22, 23 of the side panels 12, 13 to be closer to the bottomedge of the boot.

By placement of a stretchable or elastomeric sizing strip between theback edges 24, 25 of the side panels 12, 13, the cover will snugly fitover either a narrow or wide boot, and the sizing strip willadditionally provide some lengthwise stretch to the cover to accommodatesome variation in boot length.

In embodiments in which the sizing strip is not present, the side panels11, 12 may be seamed together directly, or may be formed from onecontinuous piece of material.

A sizing strip may similarly be provided at the front of the upper, forexample, on either side of the closure, to provide further stretch andsize accommodation to the cover. This is particularly useful when theclosure is an engageable type of closure such as a zipper or hook andeye fasteners that will not be pulled open by tension across the upper.

The sizing strip should be more resilient than the remainder of theupper to avoid undue stretching of the side panels 12, 13. For example,suitable fabrics for use in providing a sizing strip includeDuraStretch® and Power Shield®.

Sole Portion

The sole portion serves to hold the upper over the boot, while providinga wear resistant surface to areas of the boot cover that are typicallysubject to significant wear. One failure of prior art boot covers is thepresence of a linear seam along the bottom side edges of the boot, whichis the location that is typically most subject to excessive abrasion bythe opposing boot, the ground, and the environment. Particularly whileparticipating in sporting activities such as skiing, the bottom bootedge and boot sides typically encounter the ground during carving andwhen walking (without skis), and also experience wear resulting fromcontact with ski poles and other equipment. The presently described bootcover therefore includes a sole portion that extends across the width ofthe boot bottom and overlaps the sides 11, 12 of the boot cover toprovide side patches 15, 16 over the cover.

The sole portion is preferably formed from a wear-resistant material orbears a wear-resistant coating to resist routine abrasion and prolongthe life of the boot cover. Suitable materials for use in manufacturingthe sole portion of the boot cover include Cordura® and Tufffek®.Alternatively, a wear-resistant coasting may be applied to the soleportion to provide similar effect.

Notably, the sole portion 14 need not provide a complete sole to thecover, and may be provided as one or more permanently affixed ordetachable straps from the inner side panel to the outer side panel,with at least one of the straps extending upward over a portion of oneside of the upper to form the wear-resistant side patches. For improveddurability, each strap should overlap both sides of the upper. Suchoverlap portions protect wear-susceptible portions of the upper andavoid the presence of a seam along or adjacent the bottom edge of theboot.

In the example above of a curling shoe cover, such cover may include twodistinct strap portions, one for providing wear-resistance to the bottomand sides of the cover, and an additional removable strap for providinga sliding surface beneath the shoe.

The portions of the strap that overlap the side panels of the upper mayfurther be used to display a logo or design, or may be formed in theshape of a particular recognizable image.

Toe and Heel Openings

With reference to FIG. 1, a toe opening 20 is formed to allow the skiboot toe lug to remain uncovered for engagement with the ski. The toeopening is defined by: the sole portion 14, which in this example doesnot extend beneath the toe portion 91 of the boot; the side panels; andthe closure, which permits complete separation of the side panels at thefront of the boot.

Similarly, at the rear of the cover, heel opening 21 is formed to allowthe ski boot heel lug to remain uncovered for engagement with the ski.The heel opening 21 is defined by: the sole portion 14, which in thisexample does not extend beneath the back heel portion 92 of the boot;the side panels; and the sizing strip 40.

Various design changes may be made to accommodate any openings that maybe necessary to customize the boot cover for use over a particular pieceof footwear.

The above-described embodiments of the present invention are intended tobe examples only. Alterations, modifications and variations may beeffected to the particular embodiments by those of skill in the artwithout departing from the scope of the invention, which is definedsolely by the claims appended hereto.

1. An insulating cover for fitting over a boot, the cover comprising: an insulating upper for placement over a portion of a boot upper; closure means for closing and opening a portion of the upper to facilitate placement and removal of the upper over the boot; and a wear-resistant sole portion operatively attached to first and second sides of the upper, the sole portion of sufficient size to span the bottom width of the boot when the cover is fitted thereto; the sole portion further extending upwardly to substantially overlap the upper on each of said first and second sides, thereby providing a wear-resistant surface to each side of the upper.
 2. The insulating cover as in claim 1 wherein the upper comprises side panels joinable over the boot by said closure means.
 3. The insulating cover as in claim 1 for fitting over a ski boot, wherein the upper and sole portion define at least one opening to accommodate a ski boot binding.
 4. The insulating cover as in claim 2 wherein the insulating upper further comprises a sizing strip of elastomeric material, the sizing strip attached between the side panels to facilitate fitting of the insulating cover over a variety of boot sizes.
 5. The insulating cover as in claim 4 wherein the upper further comprises a second sizing strip of elastomeric material to further accommodate fitting of the upper over a boot.
 6. The insulating cover as in claim 4 wherein the sizing strip is at the rear of the upper.
 7. The insulating cover as in claim 4 wherein the sizing strip is at the front of the upper.
 8. The insulating cover as in claim 4 wherein a sizing strip is present at the front and rear of the upper.
 9. The insulating cover as in claim 4 for fitting over a ski boot, wherein the insulating upper, sole portion, and sizing strip define at least one opening to accommodate a ski boot binding.
 10. The insulating cover as in claim 1 wherein the insulating upper comprises wear-resistant material.
 11. The insulating cover as in claim 1 wherein the insulating upper comprises a water-resistant or wear-resistant coating.
 12. The insulating cover as in claim 1 wherein the insulating upper comprises elastomeric fabric.
 13. The insulating cover as in claim 1 wherein the insulating upper comprises wear-resistant fabric.
 14. The insulating cover as in claim 1 wherein the insulating upper is composed of Neoprene, Cordura®, Gortex® or nylon.
 15. The insulating cover as in claim 1 wherein the closure means is a zipper.
 16. The insulating cover as in claim 1 wherein the wear-resistant sole comprises wear-resistant fabric.
 17. The insulating cover as in claim 1 wherein the wear-resistant sole comprises a wear-resistant surface.
 18. The insulating cover as in claim 1 wherein the wear-resistant sole is composed of Cordura® or Tufftek®. 